Best way to do AT&T cross upgrade on Family Plan?

[Luba]

I have iPhone 4, but not eligible for upgrade price, but another family is, and she has a dumb-phone. So buy iPhone 4S using her phone number, pick data plan, etc. at Apple Store. I believe at that point her dumb-phone will then NOT work as her SIM is de-activated. Bring iPhone 4S home, now what do I do?

Is it as easy as switching SIM cards, and then calling AT&T to cancel data plan on her phone number? Switching SIM cards: Take my iPhone 4 micro SIM and put in iPhone 4S, I would then take the iPhone 4S micro SIM and put in her dumb-phone but dumb-phone takes only takes regular size SIM.

Also, do I simply hook up the 4S to iTunes and select RESTORE from iPhone 4 Backup? Is that the best way, is there such thing as a "clean install" on iPhone?

Thanks!

 

[miles01110]

Call AT&T. Complex questions about plans should obviously be posed to the carrier, as they will be in the best position to tell you exactly how things will work.

 

[Trauma1]

Simple answer: yes it's as easy as swapping the cards.

https://forums.macrumors.com/threads/1239814/
https://forums.macrumors.com/threads/1251571/
https://forums.macrumors.com/threads/1242944/
https://forums.macrumors.com/threads/1252844/

 

[Luba]

Thanks Trauma, but I already bought the 4S using the upgrade from a phone number in my family plan that uses a dumb-phone from an Apple Store yesterday because I figure they would have more phones and less likely to run out than AT&T. I was planning on taking my microSIM from my iPhone 4 and putting it in the 4S before turning on the 4S to activate it. Reading the other posts that method will not work with 4S bought from the Apple Store probably because Apple wants to prevent re-selling of the 4S.

So after activating 4S with the original microSIM that came with the phone, I will then take my microSIM from my iPhone 4 and put it in the 4S, restore from a backup of the iPhone 4 using iTunes, and I should be ready to go, correct? BTW, is the microSIM in the 4S the same as the microSIM in the iPhone 4 in terms of features and advancements?

Problem now is the SIM in the dumb-phone is probably de-activated. I have a blank (cold) regular size SIM, do you think I can just call AT&T and they can "over-the-air" put the upgrade phone number on it, or would I have to go into an AT&T store?

Thanks for your help!

Simple answer: yes it's as easy as swapping the cards.

https://forums.macrumors.com/threads/1239814/
https://forums.macrumors.com/threads/1251571/
https://forums.macrumors.com/threads/1242944/
https://forums.macrumors.com/threads/1252844/

 

[dave006]

...So after activating 4S with the original microSIM that came with the phone, I will then take my microSIM from my iPhone 4 and put it in the 4S, restore from a backup of the iPhone 4 using iTunes, and I should be ready to go, correct? BTW, is the microSIM in the 4S the same as the microSIM in the iPhone 4 in terms of features and advancements?

Problem now is the SIM in the dumb-phone is probably de-activated. I have a blank (cold) regular size SIM, do you think I can just call AT&T and they can "over-the-air" put the upgrade phone number on it, or would I have to go into an AT&T store?

Thanks for your help!

Yes your plan will work and there is no magic Micro-SIM so your current Micro-SIM from your iPhone 4 will work just fine.

Yes, you can call AT&T Customer Care at 1-800-331-0500 or 611 from your iPhone 4S. The Care rep can activate the new Mini-SIM for the donor dumb phone and also remove the iPhone data plan and reset the voice mail.

Note: before you start, please tell the donor that their voicemail may be reset and they may lose any saved or new messsages!

You will need to provide the IMEI of the dumb phone and the ICCID of the Mini-SIM and it should only take a few minutes once you get a rep to answer.

You will also need to verify the name of the Primary User and the last 4 digits of their SSN.

Dave

 

[jhcombs]

upgrade on family member line

So Dave this is something that AT&T allows?
If I upgrade on my daughter's line and then call and cancel the data plan they won't make me pay full price or continue the data plan?

j

Yes your plan will work and there is no magic Micro-SIM so your current Micro-SIM from your iPhone 4 will work just fine.

Yes, you can call AT&T Customer Care at 1-800-331-0500 or 611 from your iPhone 4S. The Care rep can activate the new Mini-SIM for the donor dumb phone and also remove the iPhone data plan and reset the voice mail.

Note: before you start, please tell the donor that their voicemail may be reset and they may lose any saved or new messsages!

You will need to provide the IMEI of the dumb phone and the ICCID of the Mini-SIM and it should only take a few minutes once you get a rep to answer.

You will also need to verify the name of the Primary User and the last 4 digits of their SSN.

Dave

 

[dave006]

So Dave this is something that AT&T allows?
If I upgrade on my daughter's line and then call and cancel the data plan they won't make me pay full price or continue the data plan?

j

Yes, AT&T even calls this an Upgrade Swap. The data plan is only required if you have an iPhone or Smartphone. Just provide the IMEI a dumb phone and the required iPhone data plan will be removed at any time. It is not tied to the 2 year contract.

Dave